HELP...need underbody color advice

[Bobs_mach 10]

I just started a full resto on my 69 machI after holding onto it for 19yrs. The shop has the unibody to bare metal will be spraying it with DP90 epoxy primer this week. My question is what to do with the underbody (floorpans, tunnel, etc). Should I paint it all chassis black, including wheelwells, outer engine compartment walls, etc? It's going to be a ground up resto, but I plan to drive it. I think the original underbody is a red oxide, but not sure if I even like that look. Finally, any thoughts on undercoating a car like this after a full resto? It's obviously never going to see snow or even rain...

 

Thanks for any input, I am new to all this, but love my mustang. It's a 69 machI, black with white interior, 351W original 4V. The car is all original and complete.

 

Bob

[69mach1t5 104]

Id use the red oxide apoxy primer, and use body paint for over spray like originals, If your into it that far i think it would be a very good idea to keep it correct, i had a post of underbody resto ill find it.

[Bobs_mach 10]

Thanks for the quick response! Where does the red go? Engine compartment is black, but what about the outside of the aprons, shock towers, etc?

I'll admit that I like the idea of all black underneath in a way, but how much does that hurt the value of the car in the future?

I'll have pics tomorrow of the completely black shell (first coat of epoxy only) and will post. Do you have any correct underbody pics?

Thanks.

[coz 108]

If you want to stay original by all means go red-oxide. If you are not worried about concourse or stock do what I am going to do and spray it with POR 15. That stuff is some kind of tough and a beautiful finish. Just don't get it on yourself - takes about a month to wear off. Actually it doesn't wear off your skin does....:laugh:

 

Will handle any kind of road grime and is a great protector against rust and can be painted over rust as an encapsulator.

 

POR 15 now comes in different colors also.

 

Saw a demo at Carlisle last year where they put a coat on an 8" pipe and after it dried bent it and banged it all sorts of ways - no cracks....

 

http://www.por15.com/

[FallujahMedic 10]

Has anybody thought of undercoating with a product like "rhino liner" truck bed coating?

 

Also, with POR15 does rust actually need to be present to work? I'm having my body media blasted and will start from a bare rust free surface. I've heard many suggestions but each seem to contradict each other. Some say coat it with ospho immediately after blasting then after it flashes (what do they mean by flashing anyway? Moon somebody :smile: ?) paint it with a 2 part epoxy. Thoughts?

[Bobs_mach 10]

Thanks guys! My body guy plans to shoot a coat of DP90, then bodywork on the underside to smooth out any pit marks, etc. Then it's another coat of DP90, and finally a flattened clear to get the chassis black eggshell color.

 

he can shoot that second coat of DP in black or red oxide. Since I plan to drive this car and not trailer it I think I'll go with the black.

 

Does anyone think I'll hurt the overall value of the car if it's chassis black underneath instead of red??? No plans to ever sell, but just in case....

[bnickel 10,004]

no it shouldn't hurt the value. a lot of 69's actually got sprayed with black on the bottom instead of the red oxide, depends on the plant and sometimes date codes but nothing is set in stone. mine was actually black from the factory, early production 69, i think it was march or april 68, dearborn car.

[buening 63]

Yep the underbody paint was a mixture of the leftover body paint, so it varied alot. I've heard of some being green, some black, some red oxide, and who knows what else. The best thing to do is see what is on the car now, if possible.

[Ltnrisk 104]

Has anybody thought of undercoating with a product like "rhino liner" truck bed coating?

 

 

Ya thats what I am going to do. I can do this because I don't have my brake line in anymore and my engine is still not in. If you plan to do this you need the brake line out. I wouldn't do this anywhere though, I live in South Dakota so its no California.

[wantahertzdonut 10]

I personally would recomend not using undercoating only because it hides any problems that may exist. Plus it's messy and gets all over everything when you're working, and it's ulgy.

 

Undercoating is what you use when you do a lousy restoration and want to hide sloppy work. Use some nice epoxy primer or por15.

[buening 63]

I personally would recomend not using undercoating only because it hides any problems that may exist. Plus it's messy and gets all over everything when you're working, and it's ulgy.

 

Undercoating is what you use when you do a lousy restoration and want to hide sloppy work. Use some nice epoxy primer or por15.

 

Yeah don't try to get alot of money out of a car that has it's underside undercoate. Big flag is raised and the potential buyer is wondering what is hiding under all that undercoating. I myself stripped the entire underside down to bare metal and sprayed black ZeroRust and it turned out beautifully. For the concourse, use actual automotive grade paint. I wouldn't use undercoating unless i was trying to mimick the factory undercoating.